Lubricating apparatus



March 29, 1960 F. J. FUCHS. JR.. ETA'- LUBRICATING APPARATUS originalFiled Feb. 29, 1956 INVENTORS FRANCIS J.FucHs,Jr. cHARLEs .sAuNnERs,

ATroRNEY f' 2,930,265 1 'Patented Mar. 29, 1960 2,930,365' Y LURIcA'mIGAPPARATUS Francis I. Fuchs, Jr., and Charles L. Saunders, Winston-Salem, N.C., assignors to Western Electric Company, IYncol'porated, NewYork, N.Y., a corporation of New Original application February 29,1956,1Serial No. 568,573, now Patent No. 2,871,734, dated February 3,1959. Divided and this application March 27, 1958, Serial No. 729,045

VThe present invention relates to a lubricating system and moreparticularly to a mandrel lubricating system.

This application is a division of copending application Serial No.568,573, filed February 29, 1956, now U.S. Patent 2,871,734.

An object of the present invention is to provide system for lubricatinga mandrel only at such time as the mandrel is being inserted into atube. i i

A lubricating system embodying certain features of this invention mayinclude a hollow mandrel having radial ports near one end. The mandrelis connected to a source of lubricant and is designed to be insertedhydraulically into a tube to be formed. Lubricant is caused to flowthrough the radial ports only when the mandrel meets a predeterminedresistance as reflected by the hydraulic pressure required to insert themandrel into the tube.

Other objects and features of the invention will be more readilyunderstood from the following detailed description when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which is represented aschematic of a lubricating system for supplying lubricant to a mandrel.

In the single embodiment shown a mandrel 39 is depicted being advancedinto a tubular member 35 desired to be formed, and which is supported bysuitable means not shown.

The mandrel 39 may be constructed of polished steel of slightly largerdimensions than the normal inside dimension of the tubular member 35,and has a rounded end section to avoid marking and scoring the insidesurface of the tube 35. It has been found that by, applying a lubricantto the mandrel 39, during the insertion thereof into the tube 35, thatthe mandrel 39 is more readily inserted and scoring of the insidesurface of the tube 35 is avoided. The mandrel 39 has a recess 46 aroundthe periphery adjacent the rounded end thereof which communicates with ahollow bore 45 by means of ports or radial outlets 47 so that a suitablelubricant from a reservoir 297 may be delivered through a flexible hose298 to the bore 45 and ports 47 to the inner surface of the tubularmember 35. Force is applied to the mandrel 39 by a hydraulic pistoncylinder assembly, designated generally by the numeral 48, to insert themandrel 39 into the tube 35. The piston cylinder assembly 48 is securedto a support, not shown. A piston 52 is mounted within the assembly andconnected by a rod 54 to one end of the mandrel 39.

A fluid pump 202 which is driven by an electric motor 203 receives fluidfrom a supply tank 201 and pumps it through a line having a pressurerelief valve 204 to return the fluid to the tank 201. A portion of thefluid is directed from the pump 202 through the hydraulic cylinderassembly 48 to actuate the piston 52 and then is returned to the tank201 through the valve 204.

The fluid pressure which actuates the hydraulic cylinder assembly 48associated with the mandrel 39 will also operate a high pressure switch259 and the fluid escaping from the opposite end of the hydrauliccylinder assembly 48 will actuate a low pressure 'switch 261. Switches259 and 261 are connected in series to close a circuit containingavoltage soul-e217 and energize a solenoid 262 to operate a pilot valve295 which in turn controls a threeway valve 296. The valve 296 directslubricating fluid from the lubricant reservoir ,201 to the mandrel 39 tolubricate the same during the insertion thereof into the tube 35.v Thus,as the mandrel 39 advances into the tube 35 and meets an increasingresistance the fluid pressure on both the high and low pressure side ofthe hydraulic cylinder assembly 48 will change accordingly. When themandrel meets a predetermined resistance as determined by thesensitivity of the high pressure switch 259 and the low pressure switch261, the valve 296 will be actuated, causing lubricant to flow from thereservoir 297 throughrthe radial ports 47 onto the mandrel and the innerwalls of the tube 35. The mandrel 39 may be withdrawn from the tube 35by simply reversing the flow of fluid in the hydraulic cylinder assembly48, and associated hydraulic circuitry cylinder 68 for the stop memberswill actuate at a lower pressure than the flange pressure membercylinder 141, the stop members 57 and 58 will be retracted prior to anymovement of the llange pressure member 139. At the completion of thisoperation, the fluid pressure in the hydraulic system is furtherincreased to actuate a fourth sequence valve 247 to direct the fluidpressure to the heading cylinder 178 to actuate the heading punch 168and swage the tube 35 to secure the flange 138 on the end of the tube35. Cylinder-178 simultaneously moves the flange retainer 196 to theproper position to prevent expansion of the flange 138. The headingpunch 168 travels a predetermined distance and actuates normally openspring-actuated switch 266 which connects the voltage source 217 to thesolenoid 258, which actuates the slide member of the valve 233 to theleft to cause a portion of the fluid coming from the four-way valve 211to be directed through port 267 to the hydraulic cylinder 248 to movethe slide of the valve 234 to the right to allow the remaining fluidfrom the four-way valve 211 to pass through the port 268 of the valve234, to reverse pressure sequence valves 269, 271, 272, and 273, andthrough the check valve 274, the normally open remotely-controlled valve276, the pressure reducer 264 to the flange pressure member cylinder 141to apply force to the flange 138 during a portion of the reversingcycle. Any fluid in the hydraulic cylinder 241 will be exhausted throughport 277 of the pilot valve 233 to the tank 201. A reverse cycle may bestarted at any desired time by the application of force on the reversebutton 278 which is in parallel with the main limit switch 266 (Fig. 13)associated with the heading punch 168, which switch 266 and button 278are in series with the reverse solenoid 258 connected to the voltagesource 217.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangement is simplyillustrative of the application of the principles of the invention.Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled inthe art which will embody the principles of the invention and fallwithin the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is: t

An automatic mandrel lubricating system comprising a fluid pressuresource, a source of lubricant, means to direct the lubricant from thesource to the mandrel, a fluid motor for actuating the mandrel, a fluidoperated high pressure switch connected to the fluid pressure sourceactuating said fluid motor, a fluid operated low pressure switchconnected to the exhaust of said fluid motor, said high pressure switchand said low pressure switch being connected in series so as to requireboth switches to be in the actuated position simultaneously whichresults from the fluid pressure moving said motor and escaping from 4Engelbertz May 21, 1935 Novzuzlc July 25, 1939 Meeks Feb. 18, 1941 KelsoNov. 11, 1941 Haller Feb. 26, 1952 Forbes Oct. 22, 1957

